What A Wonderful World
by Oldach's Dream
Summary: A oneshot CameronChase. Because I’ve been waiting three seasons for the writers to explain away Chase’s bad fashion.


By: Oldach's Dream

Summary: A one-shot Cameron/Chase. Because I've been waiting three seasons for the writer's to explain away Chase's bad fashion.

A/N: Just what the title says. Also explains how Chase knew that Cameron has a big brother. Set in season three while Cameron and Chase are in their little 'Sex, no commitment' phase. Oh, and of you didn't already know, Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison are engaged in real life. That just tickled me when I found out. And prompted this fic somewhat.

Disclaimer: I own House's sarcasm. Everything else is David Shore's.

o0o0o

What A Wonderful World 

"You do know its March, right?" Allison Cameron confirmed somewhat lazily, stretching out under the rumbled sheets on Chase's bed.

"Not until tomorrow." Chase's answer was distracted, as the majority of his attention was fixed on straightening the tie around the collar of his shirt.

Cameron just narrowed her gaze, wondering if he could see her in the mirror.

No one could deny that Robert Chase was an attractive individual - her especially. His lean frame, the chiseled muscles, and especially the accent - all added up to about a thousand and one different synonyms for 'hot.'

It was a part, a relatively significant piece, of why she'd chosen him for this not-relationship she was bound and determined to have.

"So, what?" She curled around her pillow a little. "You're trying to bring back Christmas?"

This time Chase turned around to look at her more closely. This was something they didn't normally engage in - something she wouldn't allow. The morning after.

When they'd started having sex, Cameron had been very clear about her expectations - no strings.

On a regular night, after they had sex, Chase would be booted out of her apartment, or she'd slip quietly out of his. She was unyielding in her efforts to not get attached, to not fall in love.

Last night had been a slip, nothing more.

The fact that she was enjoying it...well, that could just get filed away under 'Exhaustion due to really good sex.' and 'Lack of caffeine.'

"What are you going on about?" Chase demanded, sounding a bit more irate than normal. _Oh, yeah, they needed coffee. _

"You're either two months too late or ten months too early." She wasn't sure if it was the early hour that was making her not-boyfriend so dense, or if he really just didn't get it.

"For what?" Australian accented words demanded.

"Dressing up like a Christmas tree." She smiled a small, almost sympathetic, smile in his direction.

Chase looked back to his full-length mirror again. His work shirt and tie were offset considerably by the gray sweatpants he was still clad in, but other than that, he seemed to find no problem.

He turned back towards his bed. "What..."

"Your shirt is green." She pointed out, nodding at it, propping herself up against his mahogany headboard, pulling a sheet along with her to ward off chills on her bare skin.

The shirt was light, almost pale, green, actually. One of her favorite shirts on him. Solid and simple.

"Yeah, and?"

This was almost fun. "And your tie is bright red." She had to laugh at his dubious expression. "Hey," she held up her hands as he looked down at his outfit. "If you're trying to make a statement, go for it. Just be ready to explain it to House."

Instead of laughing or rolling his eyes at her quip like she expected, he just muttered under his breath, "Damn it," and went about undoing the already perfectly knotted tie.

"Okay..." she trailed off, watching as the garment flew across the room, in the general direction of his closet.

He was looking in the mirror again when she glanced back up at him. His shirt seemed to be holding the majority of his attention.

Before Cameron could say anything more, even contemplate anything deeper, Chase met her eyes in the reflection, unknowingly answering her earlier consideration. "It's green?"

"Yeah." She was startled by the question, but his asking it prompted a flash of possibly, then sudden understanding, in her mind. "You didn't know that?"

"I thought it was off-white." He muttered, and looked down, walking across the bare wooden floor to get to his dresser again.

He was shuffling through a myriad of ties in the top drawer. Cameron couldn't keep the grin off her face.

"You're colorblind, aren't you?"

Chase didn't stop his shuffling, didn't even turn around again. Just responded evenly with, "Yeah, so?"

Cameron couldn't help it, she felt adoration well up and threaten to overtake her entirely. "You're colorblind."

"And Foreman's black." He snapped, though not that harshly. "What's the big deal?"

"How come you never said anything?" She was still smiling, leaning against the knees she'd drawn up to her chest lightly, keeping her hands on the mattress. She couldn't recall having been this comfortable in a long time.

Chase snorted. "And give House more reason to mock me?" He turned around after delivering the rhetorical question, grasping a tie in one hand. "Does this match?"

The tie was light blue with subtle silver circles. She cringed.

Chase sighed and after a few more moments, held up another tie.

Brown.

"I'd either change your shirt or commit to going tie-less today." She laughed a little at his look of utter distaste.

"What?" She inquired. "You do that sometimes. You _and _Foreman. And House never makes an effort. I'm surprised Cuddy doesn't get on any of you about it more often."

"I think she's usually a bit preoccupied with other things involving our department." Chase made a face that made Cameron laugh again. Chase was good at that. Making her laugh.

"My brother owns his own company and he's never bought a tie in his life." Cameron shared without really thinking, just chocking everything up to that comfortable feeling. "I never really got the whole tie thing."

Chase was looking at her curiously, just a touch of a smile on his lips for the first time that morning.

"What?" Cameron inquired, feeling oddly self-conscious.

"You have a brother?"

_Right_, she thought, personal conversations were supposed to be off limits. _Oh, well. Early morning bliss. _

"Yeah." And she smiled. "Andrew. Andy. He's five years older than me."

Chase leaned against his dresser and crossed his arms, looking at her intently. He was still smiling.

"He wouldn't like you."

The Australian raised his eyebrows at that comment, managing to look almost defensive. "Oh, no?"

"Nope." Cameron shook her head. "He never liked any of my- any guy that came near me."

Chase's expressive eyes spoke volumes about her slip, the fact that she'd _almost _called him her boyfriend, but he remained silent, keeping up the pretence of casualness. She was grateful for that, relaxing even further.

"You never know," Chase shrugged, "I'm good with big brothers."

"Are you now?" She teased.

"Yup," he nodded, looking deadly serious. "I know to run like hell."

Then they were both laughing.

Somehow, just being together like this, waking up next to each other - it had gone from potentially incredibly awkward to amazingly pleasant.

"You could use different buttons." She blurted suddenly, earning a confused look in response. "For your shirts." She clarified. "Different buttons for different colors."

He made another face. "I'd have to sew them on myself."

"And men can't sew?" She snarked at the subtle sexism.

"This one can't." Chase managed to make self-deprecating sound cute. "Besides," he went on, "What about ties?"

"So you've decided to just be eternally mocked for your bad fashion?" She was mocking him now.

"I used to always have someone around to tell me when I was about to go out looking like an idiot." His accent managed to make that statement sound almost classy. "It was never really a problem until I moved to the states."

"You could label your clothes. Your hangers. Keep everything in order." She liked fixing things, making suggestions that might make things better.

"Sorry," he rolled his eyes. "I'm not that anal."

"Your wardrobe." She tossed up a hand carelessly, as if admitting defeat.

In actuality, this new tidbit of information just made her think. Longer and harder about this man she'd decided not to love. She wondered again, where the line between sex and love was drawn. How could she differentiate casual friends from established lovers? Was it possible to deny something was there just because she didn't want it to be?

These questions had been coming to her more and more often over the course of their not-relationship. She wasn't sure how she actually felt about them, but on a point of principal, she made herself believe that they were interfering with their arrangement.

"It's getting late." She sighed. "We should get to work."

"We should get dressed." Chase tossed her a lazy smile, and suddenly categorizing what they were doing, what they weren't doing - what they were feeling and not feeling - it just wasn't that important.

"You know," she stretched again, sliding down so she was back on the pillow. "If our _boss _never bothers to show up on time..."

Chase grinned a grin that only guys who were about to get laid could manage. He made his way back to the bed in several quick, long strides; she reached up and hooked her hands over his shoulders when he was close enough.

"Don't worry," she whispered in his ear, biting it when she pulled back. "I'll help you get dressed when we're done."

With that, another morning passed. And they were happy.

Fin.


End file.
